Stabilized watercraft and stabilizer for minimizing pitching and wave shock of small craft



Sept. 6, 1966 J. KUBAS STABILIZED WATERCRAFT AND STABILIZER FOR MINIMIZING PITCHING A WAV SHOCK OF SMALL CRAFT Filed'Oct.

INVENTOR Jo seph Ku bus United States Patent 3,270,701 STABILIZED WATERCRAFT AND STABILIZER FOR MIZING PITCHING AND WAVE SHOCK 0F SMALL CRAFT Joseph Kubas, 514 Eskridge Way, ()lympra, Wash. Filed Oct. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 402,781 7 Claims. (Cl. 1l4121) The present invention relates to improvements in boats or watercraft and to an improved stabilizer there-for for minimizing pitching, wave shock action and side dipping.

The invention is particularly useful in connection with a small watercraft such as inboard and outboard boats, small cabin cruisers and the like which are subject to pitching and side dipping and are affected by the jarring action of waves against the bow when the boat is moving through the water.

The primary object of the invention is therefore to provide a boat construction including a stabilizing means for minimizing the actions referred to above and which gives improved features of safety and comfort.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for stabilizing small watercraft against pitching, side dipping and wave action against the bow, a device which will improve the safety and riding comfort of watercraft.

In accordance with the invention the improved stabilized boat includes a hull having a bow, a propeller at the stern, and a stabilizer for stabilizing the boat against the various adverse actions referred to above, the stabilizer comprising a rigid sheet of material fitting the bow and bottom of the boat and extending from the upper portion of the bow to the stern of the boat, means for attaching the forward portion of the stabilizer sheet or member to the upper part of the bow of the boat and means for flexibly securing the stabilizer member at the respective sides of the bottom of the boat amid ships, said flexible securing means being adapted to hold said stabilizer member in spaced relation to the bottom of the boat.

In a preferred form of the invention the stabilizer member is generally Y-shaped, or in the shape of a wishbone, with the forks of the Y extending at the respective sides of the boat propeller, and the means for securing the upper portion of the stabilizer member to the bow of the boat may comprise a flexible mounting of soft rubber held to the bow by a metal shell and into which the upper part of the stabilizer extends. The soft rubber or sponge rubber is formed in the metal container and onto the upper portion of the stabilizer member so as to firmly secure them together, and the metal container is attached to the upper portion of the bow.

The flexible means for securing the stabilizer member to the mid-portion of the bottom of the boat, according to a preferred construction comprises retractable pneumatic shock absorbers, one located at each side of the boat fastened to the stabilizer and extending through appropriate sealing means in the bottom of the boat. Means is provided for moving the shock absorbers bodily either to space the stabilizer member from the bottom of the boat, for example during the running of the boat, or to nest the stabilizer member against the bottom of the boat for example when the boat is to be loaded onto a trailer.

The improved stabilizer mechanism may be used in connection with ordinary outboard motor boats, small cruisers of the inboard and outboard type as well as other boats which are subject to pitching and side dipping and which may be appreciably affected by the action of waves hitting the bow of the boat, when it is operated at moderate or high speed in moderate waves or choppy water.

The improved boat construction and stabilizer mechanism will be described more in detail hereafter in connection with the single embodiment of the invention shown 3,270,701 Patented Sept. 6, 1966 in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the application.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a stabilizer sheet or member constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a boat 'or watercraft constructed in accordance with the invention and in which the stabilizer member is illustrated in spaced relation to the hull, or in running position;

FIG. 3 is a broken view similar to that of FIG. 2 in which the stabilizer member and hull are shown nested together;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged broken sectional view showing one form of resilient shock absorber means comprising a portion of the stabilizer; and

FIG. 5 is a broken sectional view showing a structure for securely mounting the upper point of the stabilizer member in a swiveling relation relative to the hull.

Referring to the drawings the watercraft illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is that of a small cruiser type boat including a hull 10, having a bow 12, a stern 14 and an inboard motor (not shown) for operating a drive shaft 16 and a propeller 18 attached thereto. The boat is provided with a rudder 20 and with a conventional type of super-structure as illustrated.

In accordance with the present invention the sheet stabilizer member shown generally at 22 and illustrated in plan in FIG. 1 comprises a Y-shaped or wishbone shaped member formed of sheet material, such as fiberglass plastic or laminated plywood, and comprising a forward body section 24 and rearwardly extending wide fiat forks 26 and 28. The outer contour of the member 22 is approximately the same as the contour of the boat along the edges of the stabilizer member when nested with the boat in the position shown in FIG. 3. The forward portion 24 of the stabilizer is concave and includes side portions having upper edges 30, sloping from about the mid-ship position gradually upwardly to the bow end (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) to an upwardly projecting attachment member 32 which is secured to the upper portion of the bow 12 of the hull. The forward portion 24 covers a substantial part of the forward portion of the hull so that it takes the wave shocks when the boat is moving rapidly through the water, that is, when the member 22 is located in spaced relation to the hull 10 as shown in FIG. 2. The part 24 may be shaped to provide a keel as indicated.

The upwardly projecting member 32 is secured to the bow 12 by means of a sponge rubber or soft rubber mounting 34 (FIG. 5) moulded over the member 32 and into a metal casing 36 having side flanges by which it is fastened to the hull as shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 2 and 3. This mounting of the upper projecting attachment member 32 swivels the forward point of the stabilizer member 22 and secures it to the bow of the hull.

The member 22 is also secured to the hull at mid-ship by a resilient shock absorbing means including a retractable shock absorber 38 at each side. Each shock absorber includes a pneumatic cylinder 40 provided with a piston 42 mounted on a piston rod 44 which extends through the hull 10 of the boat and is secured to the main body 24 by a mounting member 46. The piston rod 44 is sealed with respect to the hull 10 by means of a seal 48, shown diagrammatically, which may be a rubber gasket type seal or other suitable seal. The shock absorber 38 might be mounted in an open top well secured to the hull and extending above the water line.

While the shock absorbers 38 are sealed pneumatic shock absorbers, they are, however, illustrated as being provided with an auxiliary spring 50 acting on piston 42 in parallel with the air under pressure above the piston. Retractable pneumatic shock absorbers of known conice 'struction may be used. In the position shown in FIG. 4 the shock absorber is in its lowermost posit1on and the piston, in an intermediate position, holds the stabilizer member 22 away from the hull It) as in FIG. 2 during the operation of the boat. Wave shock action or pressure on the member 22 moves the piston 42 upwardly as shown.

A pair of resilient securing means each including a shock absorber 38 are operated each by a lever 52 to hold the shock absorber in the position shown in FIG. 4, or to lift the shock absorber away from the hull and pull the stabilizer member 22 against the bottom of the hull. In this position the piston 42 would be resting on the bottom of the cylinder 40. This might be the position to which the stabilizer member is retracted when it is desired to load the boat onto a trailer. The levers 52 for the two shock absorbers 38 may be interconnected and operated by any convenient means or individually by hand since, when the boat is in the water, the stabilizer member 22 is light enough to be readily moved by hand to the position shown in FIG. 3. When the boat is in the water and not running the member 22 is readily moved to the running position shown in FIG. 2, and the levers 52 may be latched to hold the shock absorbers 38 against the inside surface of the hull, or other selected position.

The stabilizer construction provided by the present invention comprises a triangular or three-way shock suspension or support in which the two spaced shock absorbers 38 may act independently on turns or one to a greater extent than the other to prevent side dipping. The rubber mounting 34 not only provides a shock absorber affect but also 'a swivel action for the member 22 when one piston 42 moves inwardly to a greater extent than the other. The shock absorbers 38 may be retracted When the boat is loaded onto a trailer or at any time in order to avoid damage to the craft.

If the watercraft is operated at high speed such as in a hydroplane type of operation, the extension of the skilike portions 26 and 28 of the stabilizer member beyond the stern, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 prevent the craft from becoming airborne and turning an inside loop. The spaced relationship of the forks 26 and 28 leaves ample spacing for the propeller and rudder and for the supply of water to the propeller and rudder when the boat is running at high speed with the member 22 in the position shown in FIG. 2. It will be understood that when the boat is running at high speeed the bow will be titled upward to a greater extent than that shown in FIG. 2 so that the wave shocks act primarily on the section 24 the member 22 at or somewhat forward of the por sition of the shock absorbers 38. The improved stabi- 4 lizer construction provides a smooth and comfortable ride for small watercraft and promotes the safety and increases the fuel economy of such craft.

I claim:

11. In a boat including a hull having a bow, a bottom and a propeller at the stern, a stabilizer for stabilizing the boat against pitching, side dipping and for minimizing wave shock action during the running of the boat, said stabilizer comprising a rigid sheet structural member fitting the bow and bottom of the boat and extending from the upper portion of the bow to the stern of the boat, means for securing the upper forward portion of the stabilizer member to the bow of the boat, resilient means for securing the stabilizer member to the hull at approximately the mid-portion of the bottom of the boat, said last mentioned means being adapted to hold the stabilizer member in spaced relation to the bottom of the boat in one position of said means and to permit the nesting of the stabilizer member against the bottom of the boat in another position of said resilient means.

2. A boat as claimed in claim 1, in which the stabilizer member is generally Y-shaped in plan the forks of which respectively extend from about midship along the bottom of the hull to the stern.

3. A boat as claimed in claim 2, in which the forward portion of the stabilizer member is concave and shaped to substantially fit and cover the lower portion of the side portions of the hull from the bow toward midship.

4. A boat as claimed in claim 2, in which said forks are wide flat members extending on the respective sides of the propeller.

5. A boat as claimed in claim 3, in which the portion of the stabilizer member from midship to stern of the hull has a width approximating that of that portion of the hull.

6. A boat as claimed in claim I, in which said resilient means comprises a shock absorber located adjacent the respective sides of the stabilizer member.

7. A boat as claimed in claim I, in which said resilient means comprises retractable shock absorber means connecting the stabilizer member with the boat.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,219,692 3/1917 Beltrami 1142l9 2,337,787 12/ 1943 Waller 1142 19 3,032,784 5/1962 Randrup 92 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A BOAT INCLUDING A HULL HAVING A BOW, A BOTTOM AND A PROPELLER AT THE STERN, A STABILIZER FOR STABILIZING THE BOAT AGAINST PITCHING, SIDE DIPPING AND FOR MINIMIZING WAVE SHOCK ACTION DURING THE RUNNING OF THE BOAT, SAID STABILIZER COMPRISING A RIGID SHEET STRUCTURAL MEMBER FITTING THE BOW AND BOTTOM OF THE BOAT AND EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF THE BOW TO THE STERN OF THE BOAT, MEANS FOR SECURING THE UPPER FORWARD PORTION OF THE STABILIZER MEMBER TO THE BOW OF THE BOAT, RESILIENT MEANS 